Skidoo 600 EFI

Feeling like winter now. We've already had -42 and now 15" snow on the ground.
Good start for the trapping season.

Wondering if anyone bought one of the 2021 Skidoo's with the new 600 EFI engine ?
I'm seriously looking at the Tundra LT with the 600 EFI but I'd sure like to hear about some
real user reviews on the engine first.

I have the 600 ETEC in an Expedition.( Not the new 600) Loved it until it seized at 2800 miles. Engine fan died which canceled the beep and automatic shut down according to dealer. Got 500 miles on rebuild and seized again. Intake boots were cracked. (Probably the reason the first time but dealer didn't catch it.)

I would wait a year and see how they hold up. Everyone I know who got the Etec had serious problems. I wouldn't touch an Etec, and the new 600 hasn't been proven yet.

Ya, I wouldn't buy an ETEC. Way to much garbage on that efi system, but the new 600 EFI looks much simpler.
Looking forward to hearing reports on it.

Yep, I'm waiting to see what happens with them. I've had good experiences with the 600 ACE, it just doesn't have a lot of git up an go for when you need it right now, like water skipping. I loved Etec engines, until one blew up on me last winter.

Yea I am too. Im not real happy with my Bearcat/ VK540 clone. It takes 50 acres to turn it around. It is good on gas but its just to hard to handle. Only thing left out there for trappers is the skandic line of sleds. I dont want another 4 stroke so options are limited.

My son went up on the Demptser a couple weeks back with two friends. They both had BRP 4-strokes. He had his VK. Both 4-strokes broke down with electrical gremlins.

Polaris 800 Titan if you want 2 stroke. 20" long track in three versions. Don't know about mileage but some come with high dollar shocks. 2 speed transmissions.

I ran into a guy last year who had a Titan. He said it would go anywhere a skandic would and then some, but that it was really hard on fuel. Worse than the 550s apparently.

One thing to note on the 600 efi is that it does not have high/low range.

Thats a deal breaker for me. To bad

Looking at the skidoo online content it looks like it is only the sport model that doesn’t have hi/lo. It I could be wrong

Ya, depends on what model you get the 600EFI in.

They make something worse on gas than a 550? (Just joking, I know they do, but man, that's bad!) Had great luck with the 4-stroke ACE motors myself, and with the 4-stroke in my Bearcat XT for that matter. I would really hate to go back to a 2-stroke. I hate not having the pull start backup, but I don't think any of the new EFI 2-strokes have one either (I could be wrong)

Yeah, me too. I own a Bearcat without the hi/lo and after putting the lower Workhorse gears in it, it is workable, but buying a new sled I wouldn't ever go with one without a two speed transmission. I second you on needing 50 acres to turn it around, my absolute biggest complaint with mine. I played with the suspension a lot and got it to steer better, but still NOTHING like the Skidoo Skandics do. Lock the rear of your track up, put all the downpressure you can on the skis and it will help, I played with the length on the limiter strap also, but don't remember which way I ended up going with that. I work for two outfitters with Skandic SWT's one ETEC and one 900 ACE, both will steer circles around my Bearcat while getting better fuel mileage (although the 4-stroke 1000cc motor in the Bearcat gets pretty dang good fuel mileage) and having more track on the ground and going places I will bury the Bearcat.

Note I'm not trashing the Bearcat, it is pretty good sled and has been reliable, and I got a steal of a deal on it at just few years old and 350 miles on it for less than half the price of new, but the Skandics in my opinion are hands down a better sled and actually cost less new than the Cat.

Oh, and I run with the "helper/overload springs" on the rear engaged at all times. Helps the steering a lot when you are riding single, even pulling a sled. Put someone on the back or a heavy load in the rear rack and you are getting back where you started though.

Your right guys! I didn't notice the 600 efi in the regular WT. That might be a way to go then.

I have an '18 Polaris Titan 800 XC. Great machine. H/L gear, neutral and reverse. 155 x 20" track. High windshield, wide skis, a hook hitch. The only mod I did was add a grease fitting where the secondary sealed bearing is. The only issue is the bendix starter doesn't come out and turn the clutch sometime. Not the greatest on gas, have to add octane booster, but man I can go anywhere and do anything. And I don't have to worry about electrical issues one bit. Can pull start, clutch start if I have to. I would NOT go back to Ski-doo.

I also have an Expedition LE in 600 etec...in my shop. Something electrical. Just pure dead. No beeps, no nothing. Checked the ground on the battery, changed the relays, the solenoid, checked ground on the handle bars. I did buy a new start button kit so we'll see if that's the culprit. Initially the rig didn't come with a pull start, so I put one on, but still, you need electronics from the battery, through the relays, to the start button to wake up the ECU to pump gas or something. No dealer in Kotz, so I can't just bring it in and get it hooked up to a diagnostic tool. Upon researching my issue I came across story after story, after story about loose grounds, bad starter buttons, broke relays...etc. I asked the Ski-Doo dealer in Wasilla why they have all this electronic crap, he said "for theft reasons". I miss the old Skandic skidoo 500s, those silver ones. Bullet proof and reliable. Once they got electric, everything went downhill. Now they don't even come with pull starters on their 2-strokes anymore.

In my country, there ain't no 7-elevens and cabins, houses, roads, trails, joy-riders passing by. Other than the staked trails to the surrounding villages, there are no trails. We have a mix of rough ocean trail, deep snow in the trees, overflow issues up until Feb., I don't mind spending a little extra money on gas and oil for my sense of peace and even my life by having my Titan. I'm 49 now and I just can't take chances. Not sure how far I can actually walk out anymore. Plus, the gas shocks all around save my back and the ride is incredible. It doesn't even feel like riding a wide-track. It's like a cross-over sled. I love the extra space in the back. I can put two rubbermaid totes full of trapping gear back there, put it in low while breaking trail for getting wood. I also enjoy the wide ski-stance. With my Summits in the old days, the stance is narrow and the machine is tippy and if you don't have your limiter strap set right, the skis rail on any track on the village staked trails. By the time I get home I'm plum wore out for constantly correcting the steer and balance left and right. If you know of a friend with a Titan, I encourage you to take a ride on it. Check it out, then get back on that electrical box of a Ski-Doo with no pull start and a narrow stance. You'll see.

The narrow stance of Skidoos is both a feature and a bug. If you have to travel through narrow trails in trees, on sidehills, between rocks or like here around gates on logging roads that narrow stance can be a great feature. There are places where I can't fit my Bearcat, even though I keep the skis on their narrowest setting (adjustable 4" in width) they are 14" wider than my old Tundra's. The narrow stance also made steering easier and more responsive on the smaller sleds (not so much on the WT and the SWT doesn't lean for a 170 pound guy even if hanging off at the full extension of my arms). On the other hand, when running down a road or wider trail I absolutely love my Bearcat, I can sit down just like riding a fourwheeler and ride in comfort without worrying about tipping over or going shooting off the road when my sled decides to take a left of its own volition while the road goes right.

Overall I would prefer the narrow stance with the stability of a wide track, but understand the preference for the wider, more comfortable stance by anyone who doesn't have to deal with tight spots.

I still think that my old Bearcat 570 WT is the best trapping sled Ive ever had. The Titan sounds interesting. My son stopped by Yamaha today. The salesman told him that Arctic cat got into some kind of lawsuit and thats why they are no longer selling the VK540 with the Cat logo on it. He also told my son that these new VK540s are the best selling sleds that Yamaha has had in years. He said there is none to be had anywhere in Canada right now and if you want one you will have to spring check them. Mine is the Arctic Cat version.

Yamaha has a new model this year. The transport. Comes in 400, 600, and 800. The 400 is a single cylinder. 2 stroke Eli. Dealer here only has a 600 on the floor. Not sure when the rest will be available.

The Transporter line have 15" wide tracks. Not sure, but I think the OP is looking for a wide track sled. The 600 and 800 have 15x153x 2.25 lugs. The 400 has a 15x146x1.5 lug track